Giving Back While Spreading Holiday Cheer

As a lawyer and accredited Family Mediator with extensive experience representing children and youth in family and child protection matters, Nicole Stewart Kamanga is all too familiar with the challenges faced by children in care. Inspired by her work, she became a member of Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada’s Board of Directors in 2020 and one of the first members of the Equity and Inclusion Community Council in 2022.

We sat down with her to learn more about her involvement with our work and her perspective on giving back during the Holiday Season.

Why did you get involved with Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada and what inspired you to join the Board?

I first became involved with Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada in 2019, when I was invited to join the Scholarship Committee. At the time, I worked as a lawyer with the Office of the Children’s Lawyer, representing children involved in the child welfare system.

As I read the scholarship applications, I was awe-struck by the determination of the youth who were applying for post-secondary scholarships. Despite the fact that only 46% of young people in care in Ontario graduate from high school, these youth had managed to do just that, against great odds. Participating on the Scholarship Committee provided me with a different perspective and inspired me to want to do more.

I was humbled to be asked to join the Board in 2020. I was very impressed with the Foundation, and of course, I accepted. It was eminently clear that the Board and the entire organization were comprised of knowledgeable, skilled, caring individuals who wanted to deliver the greatest positive impact for the children and families they served. It was very fulfilling to be involved with an organization that had an immediate and positive impact. It was an opportunity to help change the trajectory of someone’s life.

Why did you want to support the Foundation over the holidays?

Our family donates personally to Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada because we want to help children and youth in and from the child welfare system. The holidays are also a great time to spread the word about the Foundation’s life-changing mandate to family and friends and provide an opportunity for them to lend their support, too if they so choose.

Every year, we open our home to friends, colleagues, and family for a festive holiday gathering—a way to share joy during the season. As part of this tradition, we select a charity dedicated to supporting the community and invite our guests to make an optional donation in lieu of a gift.

Last year, we chose Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, and thanks to the incredible generosity of our guests, we raised $22,000. We were deeply moved by this outpouring of support. Contributions like these are essential to ensuring that vital work like theirs can continue.

What advice would you offer to others interested in supporting the Foundation?

There are so many ways to support the Foundation! Volunteers are always needed for Foundation events and initiatives. The Foundation also offers many resources to help you organize fundraisers through your workplace or school and incorporate your interests into a fundraiser such as a bike challenge or bake-off. To start your fundraiser, please contact the Foundation or visit their easy-to-use fundraising website: Fundraise for Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada.

What role does the Foundation play in improving outcomes for children, families, and youth involved in the child welfare system?

To put it simply, the government and the child welfare system must do a better job of raising the children and youth entrusted to their care.

The Foundation’s mandate is straightforward and unvarnished: To improve the lives of children, youth and families across Canada involved in the child welfare system. It is the nation’s leading charity with this unique mission. The Foundation strives to fulfill its mandate in many ways – by facilitating access to educational scholarships, tutoring, mental health support, and employment opportunities, and by developing and supporting specific programs such as Safe at Home and Caring Dads, which address domestic violence. The Foundation also provides opportunities to attend summer camp and other activities, and culturally specific programs for Indigenous and Black youth, who are significantly over-represented in the system, and so much more. Every day, the Foundation is making a positive difference.